Weathering the Storm: Daigneault Postgame, Thunder vs. Mavericks (October 28, 2026)
1. Tip Your Hat
“Credit Flagg with some of the shot making. I thought we kept them out of the deep paint on a lot of those, and he made us pay regardless. And then Irving stabilized them early with some scoring, and he really moved the ball. But those guys played really well tonight, so tip your hat to them. There’s things that we can do better, but there’s another part of it, which is like, those guys rose up and made some plays.”
Reflection
I love that he credited the Mavericks. It goes back to him thanking the reporters for reading the room after the serious injuries to J-Dub and Cason in the previous game. The more of these I watch, the more I see his character. He sees the fuller picture. It isn’t just “we lost this game.” He still sees what the other side did well, and he still gives them credit.
When things don’t go my way, can I still give credit where it’s due?
2. Stacking the Reps
“We’ve got a lot of new guys playing right now, and we’ve got guys playing different roles, which we have to invest in, and we’ll get better at. They’ll improve as they get those reps. It’s good for them. It kind of broadens their game, and it’s good for us, if there’s a lot of stuff we can improve at.”
Reflection
That’s the beauty of life. Sometimes you get thrust into situations you didn’t plan for, like J-Will guarding Cooper Flagg. The word that keeps coming up is “improve.” Last season, after they lost to the Spurs, Sam Presti kept hammering on improvement, and you can feel that mindset running through the whole organization. Daigneault also says “reps.” Time alone doesn’t make you better. You have to keep practicing and doing the little things.
That’s why, after a loss, he could still see what went well. A win isn’t everything, and a loss isn’t everything. What matters is whether you’re getting better day to day. Alyssa June put it this way on Substack: “I’m a big believer in ambitious long-term goals, but I think day-to-day goals should be specific enough to check a box: yes or no, did I do what I set out to do today?” Without that, she says, “you can keep moving the goalposts, comparing yourself to people who have accomplished more (rather than feeling good about stacking the reps).”
So, what are the little areas I can improve in? And am I stacking the reps, day by day, to actually get better at them?
Source: Alyssa June — Substack
3. The Same Guy
“He’s been the same guy from the minute he got on the ground. He’s been a great worker, he’s been a very consistent and stable personality. He just keeps his head down and does whatever it is that the team needs to help us win. And that’s been his mentality from when he was a rookie until now. He’s grown quickly in the NBA, and he’s had the same mindset. It hasn’t changed him one bit.”
Reflection
This is the fifth game, and Daigneault has spoken highly of AJ in at least three or four of these pressers, even on nights AJ didn’t score much, and even after a loss. But what stands out to me most is “the same guy.” He’s a great worker, and he keeps doing what the team needs. That’s the mindset he embodies: keep working hard, stay consistent, and be ready when the opportunity comes.
So, am I the same person on my good days and my bad days? And as things change around me, am I keeping a growth mindset?
4. Permission to Compete
“It’s been great having him around, and the guys have heard from Dub. And I think that’s kind of given the guys permission to get ready every night and go compete. Obviously you want to appropriately empathize with those guys, and we have, and the guys have. But those guys have been amazing, Cason and Dub, just in terms of staying plugged into the team.”
Reflection
This one isn’t much of a reflection. I’m just glad Cason Wallace is around the team and healthy enough to be with the guys. If any organization can get through losing two starters this early, it’s OKC. Not just because they have Shai, though I’m glad he’s healthy. It’s the mindset you can see from top to bottom. Life is hard sometimes, but even as a fan, I’m optimistic about this season. There’s no doom and gloom, no “woe is us.” Back against the Nuggets, before any of this happened, Daigneault said, “We don’t look for excuses. We look for solutions.” I believe this team will get through it.